According to TechCrunch, Epic Games’ Fortnite has returned to the U.S. Google Play Store following a court order, after being removed in 2020. This comes after Epic settled its five-year legal battle with Google over in-app purchase commissions. However, in its related lawsuit against Apple, Epic lost ground as an appeals court partially overturned previous restrictions on Apple. The court ruled some terms were “overbroad” and now allows Apple to charge a fee on purchases made outside its App Store and to control how developers link to alternative payments. Meanwhile, under its new agreement with Google, developers can point to other payment methods and Google’s fees are capped. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney called the Google deal a “comprehensive solution” for Android.
Apple Just Won the Battle It Needed
Here’s the thing: that Apple ruling is a massive deal, and it’s being a bit overshadowed by the Fortnite-on-Android news. The court basically said, “Sure, you have to let developers link out to their own websites for payments… but we’re not going to stop you from taxing those outside purchases anyway.” That’s a huge win for Apple. They get to maintain the economic model of their walled garden, just with extra steps. Developers finally get the “freedom” to use their own payment systems, but if Apple still gets a cut, what’s the real incentive? The profit margin might be slightly better, but it’s not the revolution some were hoping for. It feels like Apple lost the legal argument but is winning on the practical, financial battlefield.
Google’s Settlement Is a Different Beast
Now, contrast that with the Google outcome. Google actually lost its court battle, being found to have engaged in anticompetitive behavior. Their settlement seems more consequential: fee caps and the explicit right to point users elsewhere. Tim Sweeney’s praise for it as an “open platform” solution is telling. But I’m skeptical. Is this a true change of heart from Google, or just a strategic retreat to avoid a worse legal outcome and the regulatory scrutiny that follows? And let’s be real, most users won‘t jump through hoops to pay on a website instead of just tapping “Buy” in the app. The convenience tax is powerful. So while the policy changed, will developer behavior and the actual money flow really follow?
The Real War Is Far From Over
Look, this feels like halftime, not the final whistle. Epic got Fortnite back on Android, which is a PR win and maybe good for players. But the core economic fight? It’s still raging. Apple’s appeal victory shows these platform giants have deep benches of lawyers and endless resources to fight every inch. And for every Epic Games with the cash to wage a five-year legal war, there are ten thousand smaller developers who just have to accept the terms as they are written. The promise of truly open, low-fee mobile app ecosystems seems as distant as ever. These rulings just moved the goalposts a little. The game—much like Fortnite itself—is still being played, and the house still has a pretty big advantage.
